Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Posts tagged ‘Sasquatch’

If you have an encounter with a large, hairy, ape-like creature, Doug Waller is the man to call. He’s writing books about the experiences people have had with what they call Bigfoot or Sasquatch. His stories come from sightings all over the world.

This Bigfoot statue, a favorite of mine, can be found in Newcomerstown at The Feed Barn.

People have been intrigued by the Legend of Bigfoot for hundreds of years. This large hairy creature is known as Bigfoot in the United States, Sasquatch in Canada, and Yeti in the Himalayans. It’s no surprise that the creature received his name after footprints were discovered that were very large – up to 24 inches long.

This map shows Bigfoot sightings in the United States and Canada.

Bigfoot has been written about for years. In 1925, Zane Grey wrote an article in Oregon Trail Magazine describing the encounter some miners had with what they described as two giant forest monsters, who looked like ape-men. Native Americans saw Bigfoot as a spiritual being and included it in their totem poles.

Doug’s interest in the legend of Bigfoot has been strong for over thirty years. His first recollection was in the 1970s when he read about the hairy ape-man in Missouri called Mo Mo – Missouri Monster. When he was just out of high school, he read in the newspaper about a meeting that Don Keating was having about Bigfoot so he attended.

Casts of footprints were on display from Ohio and California.

Things got serious when he joined the staff of the Guernsey County Public Library. During his 23 years working there, he would read two or three books about Bigfoot at a time. Once he read all the local ones, he began ordering them in from other libraries. Another staff member, Shawna Parks, also found the subject interesting and investigated stories with Doug.

Then a popular local couple had an experience at Salt Fork State Park in August of 2004 that really spurred his interest. They had seen a large creature near the grounds where they were camping. It had many of the characteristics of Bigfoot including that distinct odor that resembles rotten eggs. It was the first local spotting that could be investigated. This area is now known as Bigfoot Ridge and is a primitive campground and picnic area.

This sign displays its name and symbol at many events.

In 2008, Doug formed a group called Southeastern Ohio Society for Bigfoot Investigation. The main focus of the group is to give a safe venue for Bigfoot eyewitnesses to come together to share their encounters and experiences. Many witnesses are reluctant to tell of their experience due to ridicule. Most say it has changed their life. Some never hunted again or even went into the woods. Others moved from the country where they had always lived to ensure safety.

Doug uses a slideshow to share stories of Bigfoot.

Now Doug frequently gives lectures in six or seven different states about these experiences and holds campouts at spots where the mysterious Bigfoot happens to frequent. Investigators meet there around a campfire and many stay for the weekend looking for evidence of footprints, hair, and rough structures.

Campouts are held during the summer months at Salt Fork State Park.

Often during the evening, they hear screams, wood knocks, rocks are thrown, and trees twisted. Branches are frequently found arranged into a simple structure. When tracks are found, they make a case of them for future reference. Some of Bigfoot’s favorite paths include railroad tracks, streams, and power lines.

This structure, thought to be made by Bigfoot, was found near Salt Fork Lake.

One interesting tale happened in Belmont County with a family who lived in the country. The dad worked in the deep coal mines on a swing shift so that meant that mom and the four children were often alone at night. That’s when Bigfoot would pay a visit. He would scream and pound on the walls.

One evening something was hiding in the loft of the barn. The mother fired a shot and heard the creature running away. Another night Bigfoot got into the basement. The mother could hear him breathing and smelled that wretched smell before she called the sheriff as well as her husband at work. Her husband came home twenty miles to find her guarding the door with her gun and the children hiding behind her skirt. No trace was found of Bigfoot.

Another Bigfoot speaker, David Wickham, shows a size comparison between a Bigfoot and human footprint.

There are many ideas of who Bigfoot really is but no one has the answer. Some feel he’s linked to the caveman. Others think he’s an interdimensional being or believe that there is an extraterrestrial connection. One theory says that Bigfoot appears due to the electromagnetic effects of UFOs as the two are frequently seen together. Research continues!

Doug has written four books in which he shares people’s Bigfoot stories.

Doug has written four books about Bigfoot stories that have been shared with him and has a start on number five. Some share anonymously as they fear ridicule from friends and family. His mission is to record these stories for posterity. There have been sightings recorded in 49 of the 50 states. Hawaii is the only one without enough evidence to be listed.

Purchase one of Doug’s books from Tyler at Center Market on Route 22 as you head to Salt Fork State Park.

He receives phone calls from all over the country these days and hears many interesting experiences. But Doug remarked, “I hope I haven’t gotten the most interesting one yet.”

Bigfoot captures the attention and following of many residents of Southeastern Ohio. Frequent meetings are held all year with devotees telling of their latest sightings and experiences with the illusive Bigfoot.

Recently an employee of Salt Fork State Park saw something large stand up along the road as she was driving past Hosak’s Cave in the park. This Bigfoot ran into the woods, but left behind a large footprint, which the Bigfoot investigators made into a plaster cast.

It’s no surprise that in the Salt Fork Lake area you might find a Bigfoot Crossing.

Each spring, Salt Fork State Park holds Ohio Bigfoot Conference, which draws hundreds to listen to the latest information about Sasquatch, another name for Bigfoot. This year those dates are May 19 and 20. Cliff Barackman from Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot” will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Vicky Veselenak shares a passion for Bigfoot with her dad, Marvin Orr. You can have lunch with Bigfoot at Orr’s Drive-in.

Several area businesses use Bigfoot as a drawing card. In Byesville, Marvin Orr at Orr’s Drive-In placed a statue of Bigfoot beside their picnic tables. Marvin and his daughters frequently attend Bigfoot meetings and conferences. After hearing all the stories told by ordinary people, it makes them believe there’s ‘something’ out there.

Daughter Vicky used the Bigfoot theme in her classroom in Rolling Hills for years. Her bulletin boards were alive with his image, wooden Bigfoots made great hall passes and she designed her own six foot tall Bigfoot with a jigsaw. Stop by Orr’s and have lunch with Bigfoot.

The Feed Barn in Newcomerstown displays and sells Bigfoot statues and tee shirts because of all the sightings in the area. Recently, a young boy was crossing the railroad tracks down by the Tuscarawas River and checked both ways to make sure no train was coming. No train in sight, but he did see a Bigfoot step across the track easily with one long stride.

Denny Crock keeps customers watching as he frequently dresses Bigfoot as a snowboarder, fisherman, or even ready for Jamboree in the Hills. It’s difficult to find his shirt size – 7X.

In Noble County at the Caldwell Food Center Emporium, you will be greeted by Bigfoot at the entrance to the parking lot. Denny Crock, owner, knew people talked about Bigfoot frequently so wanted a concrete statue at his store. This 6’2”, 2400 pound creature attracts much attention.

Out at Salt Fork Lodge, Ohio Bigfoot Conference donated a carved wooden statue since their meeting provides Salt Fork Lodge its largest conference of the year. Rooms and cabins are filled to capacity this weekend and the Lodge Gift Shop has record sales with their wide range of memorabilia.

The hottest items at the Salt Fork Lodge Gift Shop are tee shirts. But they also have “Bigfoot I Believe” wine, action figures, games and much, much more.

Nothing But Chocolate will give you a sweet taste of Bigfoot as she has his footprints for sale – in chocolate of course. Amanda makes these delicious footprints for the Bigfoot Conference and for State Park Conventions held at Salt Fork.

Local investigations began with Don Keating in 1980. He wrote an article about a sighting in the Newcomerstown area. Since then Don had organized the Ohio Bigfoot Conferences at Salt Fork State Park until he recently stepped back to devote more time to another interest – meteorology.

Doug Waller, local Bigfoot investigator and enthusiast, has written two books about the group’s experiences.

Doug Waller speaks frequently around the area about the legendary Bigfoot. The founder of Southeastern Ohio Society for Bigfoot Investigation, Doug and his team tell about the activities and sightings of this mysterious creature.

Ideas range from an ape-like animal to an extraterrestrial being. The Native Americans saw Bigfoot as a spiritual being, including it on their totem poles. The Delaware Indians cautioned residents here long ago to put out food offerings for “the wild ones in the woods”.

This clever sign always brings a smile to the face of Bigfoot fans.

Each person is free to explore the ideas he finds probable. But when you hear a scratch on the wall, smell something terrible outside your door, or see an eight-foot tall creature lumber off into the woods, you just might become a believer.

In the mountain of Pennsylvania, MUFON enthusiasts gathered at Westmoreland Community College in Youngwood for their annual conference recently. MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) is an organization investigating all reports of Unidentified Flying Objects throughout the world. Lectures were presented throughout the day, authors signed books, and visitors shared experiences.

UFOs vs Paranormal was the first lecture of the day given by Karyn Dolan. The public perception varies on these two topics as ghosts are an acceptable belief, while UFOs usually require a cover-up. No one really likes to admit they believe in UFOs, but most people do…they just don’t want people to think they do.

If you do believe in UFOs, you have to change the way you see the whole world. The earth is no longer the only important heavenly body. People, who had been abducted, increased their psychic abilities and through meditation began to receive contact with other beings. While contact with alien life seems to change emotional levels, we all know people who are psychic vampires and drain away our energy!

The lobby was an interesting collection of author signings, literature, Bigfoot information as well as UFO memorabilia. Bigfoot enthusiasts were also at this gathering and the history of Bigfoot legends was explained. As far back as the Native Americans, their legends discussed similar creatures in the woods. Newspaper archives were a frequent point of reference as far back as 1837 when the first documented story in Bridgewater Bangor Daily Whig & Courier reported a hairy creature was heard whistling in the woods. Today there are many names for this hairy creature around the world: Sasquatch, Abominable Snowman, Almasty, and Bigfoot. Researchers feel they have lots of proof…just no physical specimen! That’s a big missing link.

An interesting afternoon presentation showed slides of art throughout history that included strange objects in the sky…many of them shaped similar to those people classify as UFOs today. These included cave drawings, petroglyphs, Renaissance Art, and the Myans. The oldest documentation was from The Vedic’s of India nearly 8,000 years ago. Speaker, John Ventre, summarized, “No matter how far back in art history you go, unidentified flying objects show up.”

Ufology in 21st Century was the topic discussed by Richard Dolan, one of the world’s most prominent researcher and historian of UFOs. His most recent book, A.D. (After Disclosure) When the Government Finally Reveals the Truth About Alien Contact, discusses the deep impact that would be brought about by the end of UFO secrecy. Many feel that governments maintain secrecy to prevent people from panicking from fear of the unknown. Perhaps aliens exist in our world today so keep an eye on some of those strange people you encounter that seem to be a bit psychic or telepathic. Contact appears to be on an intuitive level making it spiritual vs scientific. But don’t analyze too much!

Over 1100 volunteers take accounts and investigate all reported sightings. There are 3000 MUFON members world-wide in 39 countries and that is constantly expanding. In 2011 there were close to 700 sightings a month. That number is up slightly in 2012.

While talking with Karyn later in the day, we were exchanging ghost stories. I casually remarked that perhaps my story might make her think I was a little odd. She laughingly remarked, “You’re at a UFO conference; everyone here is strange”…but all very interesting creatures!

MUFON is always looking for new members interested in the scientific study of UFOs for the benefit of humanity. There is a study guide to be completed, exam, background check and then field time with an experienced investigator. Maybe you would like to join those curious minds.

“Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” This quote from distinguished astronomer, Dr Carl Sagan, is popular with Bigfoot investigators. They are still searching for more clues that will prove their Bigfoot theory.

Guernsey County, Ohio is one of those “hot spots” for Bigfoot investigators. Annually, the Ohio Bigfoot Conference gathers informative speakers to share their adventures with the gathering crowd. The 2012 conference was held at Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center near Cambridge, Ohio after previously being held at Newcomerstown and then Salt Fork Lodge. The move was partially made to accommodate the growing attendance as last year at Salt Fork they overflowed the conference room and many were forced to watch the program on big screen TVs in the lobby. The Bigfoot enthusiasts have increased from less than a hundred in 1989 to over seven hundred at present.

The goal of the Ohio Bigfoot Organization is to find, recognize, and protect what many believe to be an unclassified primate, commonly known as Bigfoot, and residing in North America.

A highlight of the meeting this year was the appearance of legendary Bigfoot seeker, Peter Byrne, who fascinated visitors in the lobby with his Bigfoot stories. Peter, the star of the show, has led professional expeditions in search of Yeti and Bigfoot. His book, The Search for Bigfoot, tells of his fascinating life exploring since 1946 in the Himalayas for Yeti, the Himalayan version of Bigfoot. Even though he is 86 years old, Peter still has a curious mind and continues his search for Bigfoot on the Oregon Coast.

Before the scheduled speakers, curious visitors checked out tables in the lobby with lots of unusual items. Of course, there were videos of possible sightings as well as plaster casts of large footprints left behind by something or someone. Lengths of these footprints average about 16″ long, but some range up to 22″, and are much wider than a human footprint.

Soaps and lotions carried the name Sasquatch, the Canadian Bigfoot rendition. One popular soap made in Canada bore the title Sasquatch Sweat Soap – Guaranteed not to grow hair. Sasquatch Sweat Cream was also available. Not certain if their purpose was to repel or attract Bigfoot. There were even cookies for sale shaped like…yes, you guessed it, Bigfoot.

The first speaker of the day was past president, Don Keating, who led this conference for 23 years. He first heard of Bigfoot in 1984 from a story in the Newcomerstown News that told of strange sightings of a large, hairy creature in and around the Newcomerstown area. Later Don began investigating some of the unusual sightings he heard from neighboring Guernsey County as well – glowing red eyes, large footprints, and very tall creatures.

Salt Fork Lake area became one of those places where frequent strange events seemed to occur. Often something eerie seemed to be happening at Hosak’s Cave in the late evening hours, especially when there was a full moon. For their safety, people were even strongly advised to leave the area by park rangers.

When Don Keating said he was leaving his president’s position to devote more time to his weather research, someone in the audience asked an interesting question: “Do you find predicting the weather a lot like investigating Bigfoot?” To which Don answered, “With both, you put your neck on the line.”

Grabbed a Bigfoot cookie to munch while listening to additional speakers which included: Dr John Bindernagel, wildlife biologist; Bill Draginis, surveillance and security expert; and Mike Esordi, crypto zoologist with artistic abilities. All are active in Bigfoot research and frequently share their knowledge through lectures around the world.

Whether you believe in the existence of Bigfoot or not, you could hear some interesting adventures at the conference. Maybe some evening you will want to spend the night at Salt Fork State Park. If you listen carefully, you might hear strange calls, branches breaking in the woods, or rocks being thrown into the lake. Could these sounds be made by Bigfoot? Keep your eyes and ears open!

Salt Fork State Park is located just five miles north of Cambridge, Ohio just off Route 22. I-70 and I-77 intersect close by so you will have easy access to the area. While in town, stop at Mr. Lee’s or Theo’s Restaurant as both have delicious home cooked meals at reasonable prices.